I feel like I never realize just how badly I need a metal show until I get there. Last night was a prime example. My day seemed fine and, other than my exhaustion that never seems to go away, all is going well for me right now. I spent my day listening to throwback jams from pop-punk kings and was almost dreading the shift into a metal show for the night. I reluctantly turned off the New Found Glory blaring in my car and walked into The Turf Club where I instantly felt a weight I didn’t know I had on me come off. There’s something comforting about a metal show in a venue as small as The Turf Club. You know there’s going to be a whole lot of energy and aggression and, although I didn’t know it all day, it ended up being exactly what I needed to help me get through the middle of the week slump.
I was completely unfamiliar with English opening act Dyscarnate which was a shame. I had to watch from the sidelines as everyone around me screamed along to every word. The opening set had a sense of perfectly polished power and aggression that I didn’t know I needed. Dyscarnate’s brand of death metal was unique and commanding. With only about twenty minutes on stage, I feel like I didn’t get enough of this band but they definitely packed a punch with the time they were given. I’m already craving another show from these guys so here’s to hoping they come back again soon!
I hadn’t seen the next band, The Last Ten Seconds of Life, since October of 2015. I honestly didn’t even remember that I had seen the band before while waiting through the super quick set changeover but as soon as the Pennsylvania based deathcore band took the stage, I remembered exactly who it was and instantly recalled having seen them before. Vocalist John Robert Centorrino has a very intense aura about him that is absolutely unforgettable. He brings a sense of aggression to both the stage and audience that makes you want to shove the person next to you (which, if you’re unfamiliar with metal shows, is completely acceptable and almost appreciated). Although I saw the movement in the crowd, the band seemed to feel it was lacking so, between every song, the audience was reminded that we weren’t just sitting on a couch somewhere watching TV, we were at a show and it was time to move and get violent (again, not violent, violent, but the metal show kind of violent). My favorite part of TLTSOL’s set was right before a drop in a song where John Robert pulled the microphone away from his face and just shouted “MOVE!” to the audience. Just like that people went flying across the narrow room and there was a jolt of energy that gave me goosebumps. I love moments like these and although this particular one stood out to me, there were many like this throughout the evening. Up next was Lorna Shore. I’ve seen these guys too many times to count but, like other bands like them, I just never get sick of it. It was hard not to just watch vocalist CJ McCreery throughout Lorna Shore’s half hour set last night. To say his voice is amazing would be an understatement and although I miss seeing original singer Tom Barber (who took over vocals in Chelsea Grin), CJ definitely brings an undeniable sense of power to this already powerful band. The way he can go from the deepest of growls to the highest of squeals is something that has never quite made sense to me but has always had me sold on this group. Beyond the vocals, the musicality of this band is definitely impressive. Lorna Shore is one of those bands that somehow finds the breakdown in a breakdown which unleashes an unimaginable sense of brutality not only on the stage but in the audience. Although there was definitely crowd participation and plenty of shoving throughout the audience, you could feel that everyone was holding something back and it wasn’t until the headliner got on stage that I was able to witness the modest but mighty audience and all of their might. Apparently I saw Fit For An Autopsy back in February of 2017 when they were in town but I have to be honest– I don’t remember it. It was probably because of the fact I was at the show just for fun rather than blogging about it and therefor I was probably a couple too many drinks in but regardless, apparently I’ve been in the same building as theses guys before and shame on me for not paying more attention. This guys stormed onto the stage and left no survivors. As soon as they kicked into their first track, the already rowdy audience exploded into a sweaty mess of limbs and flying hats. Even though the energy had been high throughout the entire night, it reached a climax during Fit For An Autopsy’s set which left virtually no one standing still. Much like the previous three acts of the night, the music from Fit For An Autopsy was intense, aggressive, and commanded your attention with a sense of ease which still coming through as perfectly practiced and polished. The amount of talent it takes to be in a death metal or metalcore or however you would classify these bands is absolutely stunning and that talent was put in the spotlight during Fit For An Autopsy’s set.I didn’t know I needed last night and I’m very thankful to have experienced it. The weight I didn’t know I was carrying around is gone and that couldn’t have happened without last night’s concert.